Abstract:

Adolescent pregnancy and the subsequent low retention rates of schoolgirl mothers pose a significant challenge to achieving Vision 2030 and SDG 4 in Kenya, particularly in high- burden areas like Busia County. The national re-entry policy, instituted to address this issue, often faces implementation challenges, including limited stakeholder engagement and inadequate support systems. This study, guided by Tinto's Learner Retention Theory, explored the influence of participatory evaluation re-entry policy on the retention of schoolgirl mothers and investigated the moderating effect of caregiver support on this relationship. Using a descriptive cross-sectional design, the study collected quantitative data from a sample of 100 schoolgirl mothers and 66 teachers, 12 community leaders and 7 Education officials selected through a multistage cluster sampling procedure. Data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. Descriptive findings revealed that while schoolgirl mothers perceive strong institutional support, they face critical gaps in tangible financial and material assistance. The variable of caregivers’ support recorded an overall composite mean of 3.80 (SD=1.10), while the retention of schoolgirl mothers recorded an overall composite mean of 3.90 (SD=1.14). Inferential analysis demonstrated that participatory evaluation of re-entry policy has a significant positive influence on the retention of schoolgirl mothers (β=0.621,p<0.01). The inferential analysis revealed that participatory evaluation has a significant positive influence on the retention of schoolgirl mothers (β=0.286, p<0.01). Furthermore, caregivers’ support was found to have a statistically significant direct influence on retention (β=0.306, p<0.01) and significantly moderated the relationship between participatory evaluation of re- entry policy and retention (β=0.704, p<.001). The study recommends that the Ministry of Education mandate a participatory framework for re-entry policies. Additionally, NGOs should prioritize tangible social and financial aid to bridge existing gaps. Future research should explore the impact of school culture, community-based support structures, and the psychological resilience of the students themselves.